Learning Curve of Database Development vs. Computer Programming

In terms of the Learning Curve, it takes a lot longer to learn computer programming than it takes to become a database developer or SQL Query Writer.

If you want to become a computer programmer, you have to learn a suite of programming languages and software development technologies (CSharp, or Visual Basic .NET), HTML, CSS, JavaScript, ASP.NET and believe or not a database management system (SQL Server or MySQL or Oracle).

If you want to become a database developer / SQL Query Writer, you only have to learn one database management system (RDBMS) and SQL Query Writing Language very well (Oracle & PL/SQL or MySQL or SQL Server & TSQL).

On average, it will take you at least six (6) months to become a computer programmer and three (3) months to become a Database Developer.

Salary, Wages & Compensation for Database Development vs. Software Development

If you become a Microsoft .NET Software Developer, specializing in CSharp (C#) and ASP.NET, here in the US, you could see yourself earning as much as six figures ($100,000+) within 3 years of starting your career or $80,000 within the first two (2) years.

As a SQL Server, database developer, or SQL Server Query Writer, your salary / compensation will be about twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) lower than that of a Microsoft .NET developer with the same number of years (experience) in the field!

Now, there are exceptions to that rule. Some database developers / SQL Query Writers with exceptional negotiation skills & technical talent may seem themselves earning in the range of $80,000K to $100,000, but this will be more of an exception than the norm.

On the other hand, earning between $80,000 and $100,000+ is normal and not exceptional!

In the Information Technology (IT) Industry, Computer Programmers are paid very well relative to the other professions they earn it through a pressured, driven, intense work style.

Software Developers are always learning new technologies because new tools can make their skills obsolete or threaten their livelihood.

Besides that, it is their normal day to day responsibility to develop fully functional software systems obsolete.

In comparison, database developers / SQL Query Writers have a more sedate lifestyle. They do not have to obsess about technology as much and relational database management systems like SQL Server, Oracle or MySQL have evolved slowly over the years.

Database Development skills do not become obsolete as easily or as quickly as computer programming languages. Database Developers do not have to keep learning or mastering new technologies and they also have a fewer set of tools to work with, learn or master.

To summarize, the Database Developers or SQL Query Writers career is a less stressful, less demanding, less pressured profession than the Software Developers career!

There are just a handful of Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS) including Oracle, SQL Server and MySQL while there are lots more software development programming languages some of which are (C#, Java, Visual Basic, Cobol, Perl, Python, Ruby on Rails, C/C++, PHP etc.)

Because the software development programming industry is so fragmented and programming languages so varied, you have to specialize as a Software Developer and your programming skills cannot be that easily or quickly transferred to a job requiring a different set of programming skills.

For example, Microsoft .NET Software Developers cannot easily apply their skills to a Java or C/C++ job and vice versa.

On the other hand, Relational Database Systems follow Standard SQL to some degree and their usage is similar. The logical principles of designing a relational; database, applies to every relational database (SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL), etc.

There is a high demand for computer programmers who specialize in Microsoft .NET Software Development (ASP.NET, CSharp / C#, Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET), .NET Framework) because the Information Technology, marketing & Sales and Operations departments of lots of companies use these technologies to automate their systems.

However, employers that invest in Microsoft .NET Technologies, also depend on or require Microsoft’s Database Technology (SQL Server) instead of Oracle or MySQL for their data storage needs as Microsoft’s SQL Server database integrates and inter-operates well with Microsoft .NET Programming technologies.

These factors combined with the ubiquitous use of websites, web applications and desktop applications as part of everyday business infrastructure create a high demand for professionals with Microsoft .NET Software Development skills and / or SQL Server Database Development skills!